Vet warns dog owners over purple shampoo trend

Vet warns dog owners over purple shampoo trend

A vet has warned dog owners seeking to get their pet’s hair as white as possible to beware of following a TikTok trend for using purple shampoo to achieve the desired result.

Violet tones in popular products are designed to counteract red and orange ones, adding an icy hue to the hair, but while there is huge variety available in most cases they are not suitable for use on animals.

Emergency vet Dave Leicester, who oversees the Video Vets Now online consultation service for Vets Now, warned using shampoos not specifically made for use on dogs could have serious consequences.

He told Metro: “We would only recommend pet-approved products for use on your pet. Human products should never be used on pets, unless under the recommendation of your veterinary surgeon.

“With purple shampoo, in particular, a number of these brands are high strength and contain toxins that could be harmful to your pet.

“Some products may leave toxic residues on your dog’s coat which could be ingested during grooming – or may cause skin irritation and hypersensitivity reactions.”

Breeds to feature getting their hair lightened on TikTok  include Golden Retrievers, Bichon Frise and Maltese dogs. And while the majority of creators make it clear on their videos that they’re using purple shampoo specifically designed for dogs, this isn’t always the case, with many in the comments suggesting trying out their own beauty products on their pets.

“There is also the risk that owners copying this trend might unwittingly use toxic products.

“When it comes to anything like this – including clothes for dogs – functionality and keeping your pet safe should always come before fashion.”